GAH!

So I received and sent in my absentee ballot from the Virginia elections board - I bet you can all guess who I'm voting for.

The envelope the ballot came in was addressed to me in "Taipei, Taiwan, Province of China".

GAAAAAH!

The one I got from Arlington Democrats before the ballot came (funny, I was pretty sure I chose "independent" as my affiliation when I registered to vote. Huh) was just as bad, if not worse: Taiwan, PR China.

PR China! For effing eff's god-forsaking goodness gosh-diddly-arned I-wanna-swear-so-bad sake! Never have the letters "W", "T" and "F" been so appropriate.

Again, GAAAH!

It happened awhile back, but coming across the envelope again, I'm still annoyed...and I'm not even Taiwanese!

I checked my boyfriend's ballot envelope from Maine, and they just addressed it as "Taiwan". I'm waiting to hear on the address noted for my friend registered in New York, and wondering what other states use the offensive designation of "China" in their election mail.

I realize that there's some "standard" list out there that has Taiwan down as "Province of China" - that's something I dealt with on my favorite message board, as well (they changed it; they hadn't noticed it and when they did it was also offensive to them). That doesn't mean it's right, doesn't mean it's fair, and really does not mean it's OK.

I'll have to write to Virginia and Arlington Democrats (may as well stay on their mailing list, I'm "independent" but pretty much never vote Republican 'cause I'm far too socially liberal and all the socially liberal Republicans seem to be in Maine) after the election, when they have time on their hands and at least register a complaint.

Might not change anything. Probably won't. But I have to try.

If anyone cares to leave a comment letting me know what their state designates for Taiwan on absentee voter mail, I'd love to hear it. If I can find that many states do not use the ire-inducing "Province of China" moniker, it will build a stronger case.